Only Human
by catduck
Summary: Peace has returned, and Sakura continues her pursuits as a medic-nin, but what happens when she's given the special task of rehabilitating a friend from the past? Sasu/Saku pairing
1. Chapter 1

Author Note (AN): Hey everyone. This is maybe my fourth attempt at a Naruto fanfiction, so I hope it is sufficient. I chose this pairing cause it's fun and kind of cute. I promise not to get too sappy. That's not my style anyway, haha. Hope you enjoy. And leave your comments/crits please.

Disclaimer: All Naruto characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

Chapter 1

"You're early, Sakura! Are you visiting again?" Sakura turned around to the nurse, smiling.

"Yes, I have to," she said, raising her hand in farewell as she continued up the path towards the hospital. It was a month ago that Sasuke returned to Konohagakure. The world was again at peace now that Akatsuki was disbanded; their leader, Pain, dead. Sakura pulled her coat tighter around her neck as a chilled winter breeze blew against her. The shockwaves of Akatsuki's chaos were still reverberating amongst the villages, but cooperation between the leaders was helping to stabilize life for everyone. For Sakura, it meant she began her internship at the hospital as a medical ninja.

She stepped inside, walking towards the nurse office to change into uniform. Folding up her street clothes in her locker box, she closed it and glanced at herself in the mirror across the room. Her forehead didn't seem so big now, even with her hair pulled back. She smiled a little and turned away, picking up her patient assignments and exiting to the main corridor.

The ER was quiet. The last three months had been non-stop, but with problems resolved, few injuries required intensive care. She looked down at her folders, flipping through the names. 'Uzumaki Naruto' was on the top. She smiled. 'Hatake Kakashi,' 'Rock Lee,' 'Maito Gai'...everyone she expected. 'Uchiha Sasuke.' Sakura stopped, her smile gone. Tsunade had restricted access to that ward: only herself and specific ANBU staff were allowed. Even Naruto, who had begged and threatened, and was the closest thing to family that Sasuke had, was rejected. She quickly tucked the files under her arm, walking towards the recovery ward. She would ask Tsunade once her other patients were seen.

"Sakura!" Naruto's eyes lit up to see her walk in the door. She snorted. He was bandaged head to toe, his arm in a sling and hair sticking out every which way from the bandage around his head.

"You look ridiculous," she said laughing and opened his file to look through his progress.

"Chehe! Hey, hey, do you think I'll be out in a week?" Sakura shook her head, ignoring his ridiculous statement. He had fractures all over and bruised wherever he didn't have open wounds. He could be best described as a grape with hair.

"Heey..." he started to whine.

"Naruto, you're probably not going to walk for a whole year."

"WHAT?!" Sakura grinned at him, waving her hand.

"Just kidding, stupid. You're loud as usual, so probably another few months, you can go home. But! That doesn't mean you go hardcore training or anything dumb, okay?" She pointed at him threateningly. Naruto eeked out a half-hearted laugh and agreed.

"...Still...I want to see Sasuke," Naruto said, his voice calmed. Sakura clutched to his file a bit tighter.

"...Well, no one is allowed yet. You'll get a chance as soon as you're well," Sakura said, setting down the folder and putting a thermometer in Naruto's mouth before he could answer. He frowned at her and looked down. She stayed quiet, waiting a minute then checked his temperature.

"You're doing fine. Just take it easy, okay?" Naruto sighed, laying back. Sakura tried to smile for him, walking over to the window to pull the curtains open a bit more.

"Sakura," he said. She turned to him. He smiled.

"Do you think he's okay?" Sakura sighed, turning to glance outside.

"I don't know." Naruto watched her.

"You'll be a good mom someday." Sakura whirled around.

"Stop saying random things! People think you're weird enough already!" Naruto grinned and they both laughed.

She picked up her files, waving to Naruto before leaving his room. It was hard not to say anything. He would have clawed his way through the wall for a chance to see Sasuke. But it was better that he didn't know anything, for now.

Kakashi glanced up as she walked through the door, holding up a hand.

"Ah, Sakura-chan. How kind of you to visit your favorite teacher. And looking so cute..." Sakura made a face at him.

"I'm not afraid to put an extra dose of tranquillizer in your IV, you know," she said. Kakashi laughed nervously, unsure of whether she was serious. Sakura started about her standard routine of checking bandages and health statistics. She dropped her pencil, shaking her head a little as she picked it up. A moment later, she dropped it again. Kakashi stared at her.

"What are you thinking about?" She looked up, smiling.

"Nothing, why?"

"Hmm..." She frowed a little.

"...Really, nothing."

"Hmmm..."

"You won't get anything out of me."

"Hmm..." Sakura sighed, giving in.

"I'm going to see Sasuke today."

"Oh, really?" Kakashi raised his brows.

"I don't know what to do," Sakura pursed her lips, pulling up a chair to sit at his bedside.

"I think it's a mistake, but why would Tsunade allow for such a huge error. Especially with interns..." Kakashi glanced up at the ceiling.

"A lot has happened to you guys, but the ties between you still hold." Sakura looked over at him.

"You grew together and shed blood for each other. Doesn't matter what happens, you can't forget that," he said. She smiled a little, looking down at her hands.

"Still, I don't know what to expect..." Kakashi didn't answer. He probably didn't know either. Sakura took a deep breath, picking up her files again and left Kakashi.

Gai and Lee were roomed together, a troublesome arrangement, but they had demanded it. Sakura could hear commotion inside already, opening the door. Two assistant interns were struggling to get Gai and Lee in their beds. Lee was laying on the floor, trying with all his might to get in a push-up, and Gai managed to achieve at least one.

"Remember, Lee: the road to recovery is faster with exercise!" Gai beamed at his pupil.

"Yes, sensei," Lee chimmed back.

"You two are crazy," Sakura exclaimed, crossing her arms. Lee looked up quickly, seeing Sakura, and obediently hobbled to his bed. Gai followed suit, finding himself caught.

"Sakura-chan! You've come to nurse my wounds, merciful angel!" Sakura ignored Lee's comment, turning to Gai.

"You should understand the value of rest, Gai-sensei," Sakura said, opening up their files. Gai laughed, giving her a thumbs up.

"Sakura! You're good with words! I, Maito Gai, will always strive to do my best for my students! We will take a long break for now, Lee!"

"Yes, Gai-sensei!" Sakura rolled her eyes sticking a thermometer in their mouths, to the assistants' relief.

"Now listen," she said, crossing her arms. "I want both of you to rest for two weeks without any kind of training. Just take it easy for once! Then if you're sufficiently healed, at the approval of Tsunade-sensei, then and only then, can you start up your training regimen again. Understood?"

Lee and Gai gave her a thumbs up and a sparkling grin. She sighed smiling, shaking her head. Handing the paperwork to the assistants, Sakura watched them perform the rest of Gai and Lee's check-up and re-bandaged their injuries. Administering a mild sedative for each of them, Sakura and the assistants left the room. She waited until the two interns were well on their way down the hall before pulling out her last file.

One left.


	2. Chapter 2

AN: Yay next chapter! That's all I have to say...

Discalimer: All characters belong to Masashi Kishimoto

Chapter 2

Sakura knocked on the door of the Hokage's office. Tsunade beckoned to her and she stepped inside. Shizune turned to Sakura with a smile, standing up.

"Oh! Sakura, you look really good in nurse uniform!" Tsunade glanced up from her papers, eying her pupil.

"Yeah, they suit you. Very professional." Sakura smiled slightly, glad to please her superiors, but her question weighed heavily on her mind. Tsunade, leaned forward, clasping her hands.

"Why did you come to see me?"

"I wanted to ask about a certain patient I've been given..." Sakura began, stepping forward. Tsunade nodded for her to continue.

"Uchiha Sasuke...is now in my charge?"

"Yes," Tsunade said plainly. Shizune crossed her arms, looking worriedly towards Sakura.

"But I thought he was off-limits to us," Sakura began.

"He was, but it's been determined that he poses no severe threat now." Sakura felt a chill.

"Even though he attacked the village..." Sakura started again. Tsunade stood to her feet, sighing.

"Sakura, it's going to be hard. You'll understand once you see him. But I trust you fully. I know you will not disappoint me."

Sakura swallowed the lump in her throat. Tsunade picked up an unmarked envelope, walking around her desk and handed it to her.

"Your access pass is in here. Only you are allowed to use it. It's been specially sealed for you, so no one else can use it." Sakura took the pass from Tsunade, staring at it in her hands. Tsunade put her hands on Sakura's shoulders, looking down at her with a smile.

"Be confident. I couldn't give this task to anyone else, but you." Sakura looked up at her taking a deep breath. She nodded.

Sakura turned down the second hallway in the recovery ward. A nurse passed her on the way, but making a second turn down another hall she had never seen before, then once more after that, it was as though she wasn't even in part of the hospital anymore. She stopped at the end, facing a blank wall, when suddenly two ANBU stepped out from it.

"State your name."

"Haruno Sakura..." The two looked at each other before nodding toward her and suddenly the wall disappeared, a hallway standing before her. She turned around, finding a solid wall behind her, the two guards nowhere to be found. The hallway was dim, the only light coming from the small windows in the doors lining the hall on one side. The air was utterly silent.

Her shoes made light taps against the floor as she walked down. None of the rooms had numbers like the others, only a place for names. The next to last room was labeled with a familiar one: 'Uchiha Sasuke.' Sakura's eyes wandered the characters of his name. Then she slowly placed her fingers around the cold door handle. It clicked open easily. Taking a deep, shaky breath, she pushed it inside.

The room was simple. A small table near the wall to her left and a bay of windows covered by thick curtains on the far wall. To her right was a bed, with a chair and side table on one side and an IV unit on the other. Sakura pursed her lips. Sasuke laid unconscious, bandaged up like the others, except his eyes were also covered over. Splotches of red stained part of that bandage. Gingerly, she stepped up to his bedside, his medical file slipping from her fingers as she realized what those stains were.

Sakura felt her knees weaken beneath her and quickly sat down, across from his bed, still staring at the bandage over his eyes. She covered her mouth with her hands, a few tears falling from her eyes. Utter shock kept her bound to the chair for a long time, the daylight outside beginning to fade as evening set in. Gradually, her hands slipped from her face, settling in her lap.

"_You're so annoying."_

She smiled bitterly, sniffing and rubbing her wet cheeks. If he had seen her then, that's what he would say. Her eyes had settled on the fading beam of light that peeked through the curtains. She needed to leave soon. Sasuke hadn't stirred once since she arrived. He probably wouldn't for a few more days...if at all. She shook her head, standing up slowly. As she moved towards the door, she looked back at him, watching his chest rise and fall a moment. Then she left.


End file.
